A Visit with Canadian Author Joan Hall Hovey

In addition to Joan Hall Hovey's critically acclaimed novels, her articles and short stories have appeared in a number of diverse publications. She has also held workshops and given talks at various schools and libraries, and taught a course in creative writing at the University of New Brunswick as well as tutoring with Winghill, a distance education school in Ottawa for aspiring writers.

Joan, your work has been compared to Alfred Hitchcock and Stephen King. How would you describe your suspense novels?

I'm always flattered to be compared with authors I admire, but I like to think my own writing is unique to me. Of course being a voracious reader all my life, I'm sure my writing has been influenced by many fine authors. We all stand on the shoulders of those who have gone before us and paved the way. I'm a big Stephen King fan. Other authors I enjoy are Edgar Allan Poe, Peter Straub, Ruth Rendell and more than I can list here. It's not easy to describe one's own novels, but I will say that I always strive to give the reader a roller coaster ride and a satisfying conclusion. And characters that will resonate with my reader long after the books is closed.

I like to write about ordinary women who are at a difficult time in their lives, and are suddenly faced with an external evil force. I didn't think a whole lot about theme until I had written a couple of books, but I realized with the writing of Chill Waters that my books generally have to do with betrayal and abandonment, and learning to trust again. And more important, learning to trust oneself. Almost any good book will tell you something about the author herself. (or himself.) You can't avoid it.

All my books are generally rooted in childhood. I draw on my life for inspiration and an emotional connection. Then I'm off and running. The seeds for Night Corridor, for example, were planted in my childhood. On Sundays, I went with my grandmother to visit an aunt in the mental institution, once called The Lunatic Asylum. She'd spent much of her life within those walls. They said she was 'melancholy'. Though the sprawling, prison-like building has long since been torn down, the sights, sounds and smells of the place infiltrated the senses of the 12 year old girl I was, and never left. Night Corridor is not about my Aunt Alice, but it was indeed inspired by her.

My latest novel The Abduction of Mary Rose was inspired by a true story as well. After her adopted mother dies of cancer, Naomi Waters learns from a malicious aunt that she is a child of a brutal rape. Her birth mother, a teenager of MicMac ancestry, lay in a coma for eight months before giving birth to Naomi, and died five days later. Feeling angry and betrayed, but with new purpose in her life, Naomi vows to track down the man responsible and bring him to justice.

Are your novels set in your home territory of New Brunswick, Canada? And what inspired them?

My novels are set in fictional towns that could be anywhere in New Brunswick or Maine, since the flora and fauna are similar. Although I did set part of Nowhere To Hide (Eppie Award) in New York. I researched the city but I also spent time there. But New Brunswick, which lies on the Bay of Fundy, Canada, is part of my DNA. And the town where I live, whose streets and hills and shops are bred in my bones, is probably in essence where all my novels are set, whatever fictional name I give them.

What have you stressed in your creative writing classes at the University of New Brunswick?

I stress to students (and myself because we teach to learn) to relax and let the story come to them. Not that you don't have to think; you do of course. But sometimes we think too hard. Imagine, I tell them. Imagine.

Please explain the distance education school in Ottawa for aspiring writers.

I have been a tutor with Winghill School for writing for over 20 years. Most of the correspondence is conducted over the Internet, though a few students prefer to correspond by mail. It's a great school. I enjoy my work and get almost as excited when my students publish as when I do myself. I'm sure I learn as much from them as they do from me.

How has your writing evolved since your first books, Nowhere to Hide and Listen to the Shadows.

Language is important to me, and I hope my work is always improving in some way. Maybe the dialogue is crisper, the transitions smoother, the characterizations deeper, but always evolving. And that comes simply from being an avid reader of the best there is, both in my own and other genres. And writing and writing and writing. Since I both love to read and write, it's not a chore. Too, I like to think I've grown as a human being over the years. I've become more insightful, more compassionate. And that reflects in your writing.

What, in your opinion constitutes a good suspense novel? And what’s more important, character or plot?

With any novel, regardless of genre, characterization is the most important element. Without a character readers can care about and identify with at some level, the most ingenious plot won’t matter. That doesn’t mean your character is without flaws, quite the contrary. Consider the late Patricia Highsmith’s Tom Ripley. He is a ruthless killer, but we are fascinated by his complexities and we're happy to follow him throughout the books.

In the end, I don’t think you can separate character and plot. They are interwoven. With suspense, I am always aware of the thread in my story and I hold it taut, letting it out a little at a time, but never letting the thread go slack. It should grow tighter and tighter until it fairly sings. This is what constitutes a page-turner. It’s a promise I make to my readers and one I take very seriously. Reviews tell me I’ve succeeded for the most part, and that makes me happy.

How has the ebook revolution affected your own work and are the electronic versions outselling your print editions?

Absolutely. It’s totally different now. My first two novels were published by Zebra/Kensington Books, New York, and sold thousands of books. They didn’t take the third one and I was suddenly without a publisher. I didn’t feel up to doing the rounds of agents and publishers again, so I went with a small Canadian publisher, BWLPP Publishing, mainly an ebook publisher who published authors with a track record, but also bring the books out in print.

With ebooks you promote in a totally different way, mainly on the Internet. Although I still do book signings in my local bookstores, I can see that my focus is different now. I’m quite sure I’ll not see those big numbers again, and I really don’t mind. That doesn’t mean I’m not always looking for new ways to promote the books, and without annoying people. Pretty much like most ebook authors. Once, my books could be found in bookstores across Canada and the U.S. That's no longer true.

Now they're available worldwide on the Internet. Sounds great, but that means that you're vying for readers with literally thousands more writers showing up every day, many of whom are self-publishing. Some of those books should never have seen the light of day. But I've also found some excellent new authors among them. We have stars like J.A. Konrath, James Scott Bell, Timothy Hallinan, L.J. Sellers and others who are making a very good living selling their ebooks. So in the midst of this gargantuan storefront window, you have to somehow find a way to make your books stand out. 'Ay, there's the rub'. But the possibilities are endless.

Describe your writing schedule.

I write in mornings when I’m freshest and the day has not yet had a chance to intrude on the muses. I work on other things in the afternoon – tutoring, promoting and whatever else needs doing.

Advice for aspiring suspense novelists.

Try to write true, whatever you write. Find that truth inside the fiction. Write out of yourself. That’s important.

Thank you, Joan.

You can visit Joan at her website: http://www.joanhallhovey.com/
She's also on Facebook, Twitter, My Space and Booktown.

James Scott Bell Revisited

James Scott Bell is a bestselling suspense writer. The former trial lawyer was the fiction columnist for Writers Digest Books and an adjunct professor of writing at Pepperdine University. His books on the craft of writing are among the most popular writing books today.

You’ve led a varied and successful l life as a trial lawyer, actor, lecturer, television and radio commentator, and bestselling author. What brought you the most satisfaction and why?

Wow, that's quite a list. I hadn't thought about all that in awhile. I can tell you I've been very blessed to be able to do a number of things I really enjoyed.

I loved going to court. All the workup before trial, and the 24/7 aspect of thinking about it, is stressful. But standing in front of a jury and arguing a case, cross-examining witnesses, all that was supremely enjoyable.

I loved acting. If it were a more secure profession, I'd probably still be living in New York doing Shakespeare and O'Neill and David Mamet.

But I love writing, too, and being able to make my living at it is tremendously satisfying. My office is wherever I can lug my computer or my AlphaSmart, and my subjects are whatever my imagination can conjure up.

Your Writers Digest craft books, Plot & Structure, Revision & Self-Editing and The Art of War for Writers have been bestsellers. What’s the best advice you can offer aspiring writers in today’s market?

The best advice for today's market is the same advice I gave yesterday and would have given 100 years ago: produce the words. Set a weekly quota, one that is comfortable, and up it by 10%. Then go for it. You still have to show that you can write solid fiction book after book, no matter how it gets to market. And the way you show that is to actually produce.

Yes, study the market, but don't become a slave to it. Trends come and go. Write material that moves you and it will have a chance to move the reader.

 How did you manage to be mentored by Lawrence Block?

When I called him my first mentor, I meant by way of his columns in Writer's Digest. What made those so great is that he knows how a writer thinks. He got into my head and showed me what to do. And he did that for countless other writers.

When I started doing that column myself, I felt like Joshua taking over for Moses. I did finally get to meet and chat with Larry at a convention, and via email, and it felt good to talk as a colleague. But I still reverence those years he was teaching me so much.

Briefly tell us about your latest releases, Watch Your Back and Writing Fiction For
All Your Worth? Are they available in print or only on Kindle and Nook?

I released these two as e-books only. I wanted to supplement both my thriller print fiction and my writing books for Writer's Digest. I discussed this with my agent and the publisher beforehand. I see these as volumes to make new readers. And that's what publishers and agents keep telling writers to do. Build a platform. This is one way to build it.

Watch Your Back is suspense fiction, the title novella and three stories. I love the old pulp days when writers like Chandler and Cornell Woolrich were producing great short fiction. But the pulp market died. Now, with e-books, it's back, and I want to be part of that.

Writing Fiction for All You're Worth is a collection of my best blog posts, articles, interviews and reflections on writing. It covers the writing world today, the writing life, and the writing craft. I've also included a section of my "secret" writing notebook. No one but me has ever seen that material, until now.

How do you feel about the ebook revolution?

Of course it's here and it is a revolution. But will it turn out to be the United States in 1776 or France in 1789? Will it be order or chaos? Will it shake out into anarchy or some form of cooperation between traditional publishing and e-publishing? No one knows!

But it is definitely a heady time and even the professionals—authors, agents, publishers—are wondering how to act and react.

I'm a writer. I write. I write for readers. The readers are out there with e-devices. Why should I not give them material when I've got so much of it?

Suspense/thriller novels and Christian books seem almost polar opposites. How and when did you decide to write in the Christian market?

I began in the Inspirational Fiction market because I liked writing about people struggling with faith issues in a dark world. In a way, that's what great thrillers are about. It may not be religious faith, but it's faith in something—in the quest for justice, say—that makes a thriller worth reading on the character level.

So there is no inherent opposition in the thriller/Christian fiction genres. It's true the latter market is dominated by "softer" titles, such as Amish fiction. I have chosen to jump into the mainstream with my Try series and Watch Your Back. But no matter where you are, you still have produce page turning fiction.

Why do you set your novels in the Los Angeles area exclusively?

I just can't get away from it. It's my home, I love it, I know it and it's the greatest noir city in the world. There is a plot around every corner, a great character on every street. You can drive a mile and be in a completely different neighborhood. And I think there's something cool about being one of the bards of L.A. I love Cain and Chandler and Connelly and Crais and those guys. I like being part of that tradition.

What’s the worst thing that ever happened to you while researching a novel?

Oh, nothing major. I never got thrown in the clink or anything. I did have some uncomfortable moments when I was researching Skid Row for Try Darkness. There's nothing like walking around in a location, but this one is rather sketchy to say the least. Having learned how to walk fast and with attitude when I lived in New York, I did fine.

Does an aspiring writer really need an agent, and are agents becoming the dinosaurs of the publishing industry?

A great agent is such an asset. And indispensible for getting published the traditional way. I have the best agent in the world, Donald Maass, and I am also friends with some terrific agents. I know it's a tough deal right now. If an aspiring writer gets with a good agent, that's fantastic. I know the search can be long and difficult. But the discipline of trying to write material good enough for an agent to take on is not wasted should the author eventually try another route.

Also, agents will evolve along with the changes in the industry.

Thank you for a great interview.

You can visit James Scott Bell at his website: http://www.jamesscottbell.com/

His blog site: www.killzonauthors.blogspot.com

Twitter: Twitter/jamesscottbell and Facebook fan page: http://tinyurl.com/3hy635v

A Visit with Susan Santangelo

An early member of the Baby Boomer generation, Susan Santangelo has been a feature writer, drama critic and editor for daily and weekly newspapers in the New York metropolitan area, including a stint at Cosmopolitan magazine. A seasoned public relations and marketing professional, she has designed and managed not-for-profit events and programs for over 25 years, and was principal of her own public relations firm, Events Unlimited, in Princeton NJ for ten years. She also served as Director of Special Events and Volunteers for Carnegie Hall during the Hall's 1990-1991 Centennial season.

Susan, what prompted your decision to become an indie writer?

I queried several top agents in New York with my first Baby Boomer mystery, Retirement Can Be Murder. Three of them absolutely loved it, but were unsure as to whether there was a market for it. As one of the 78.2 million Baby Boomers myself, I knew there was a market. So I decided to heed the advice of the Books Editor of our daily paper -- if you're a new author, relatively unknown, take the leap of faith and do it yourself. I am blessed to live on Cape Cod, which has a wealth of talented artists and writers. Some of these folks and I now collaborate as Baby Boomer Mysteries Press. It's a win-win for all of us.

Why Boomer books?

It seemed to me that major attention was being paid to the Boomer generation, particularly to the financial piece of hitting retirement age and beyond. Protecting/growing a nestegg, how to save for retirement, etc. But no one seemed to be addressing the emotional impact of growing older as a Boomer. For instance, what happens when a husband (or a wife), who's been out of the house for years at A Very Important Job, suddenly is at home, all the time. How does a couple deal with this re-defining of roles? I decided to tackle these issues from the point of view of someone who's actually living it, using the cozy mystery format.

Tell us about your writing background.

I've written all my life. In my college years, I wrote a column for my school newspaper. Then I went to NYC and was lucky enough to land a job as editorial assistant to Victor Riesel, the labor columnist who was blinded by acid in the 1950s. What an experience. I learned so much about writing form him. From there, I went to Cosmopolitan Magazine (in the Helen Gurley Brown years) as a copy editor, then did freelance writing for years for newspapers and magazines while my children were growing up. I've also had my own public relations firm, and done my share of press releases and marketing materials. For the past 12 years, I've been in the non-profit world with the Breast Cancer Survival Center, and written all their press materials and quarterly newsletters. I've never stopped writing, no matter what the genre.

How have you utilized your public relations background in selling books?

I'm lucky to have made many media contacts over the years, all of whom I've called upon when the first Baby Boomer mystery came out. (Part of the proceeds from the books benefits the Breast Cancer Survival Center.) I've had to speak in public many times over the years, either for clients or for the cancer program, so I'm comfortable with that aspect of PR. I just think of myself as my own client now. But with the Internet, it's a whole new learning curve that I find very exciting. I'm not afraid to try something new. One of the things I leaned in PR was the value of a give-away. With my first book, I had custom-designed socks made that I sent out with review copies. The socks had the title of the book on the cuff and the web site on the instep. It made an impression

Which types of promotions have been the most successful?

Here on Cape Cod, I'm involved with many other local authors, and we do a lot of joint signings and marketing. We have fun together. I love giving out my bookmarks, which highlight the covers of each of the books. People comment on the wonderful design, and frequently one of the artists who's done the design is there. Folks are thrilled to meet her too. I love one-on-one with readers. In the summer, here on Cape Cod, there are so many opportunities for getting out and doing signings that you could do one or two every day.

Do you prefer online promotions or those in person? Which have been the most successful?

I love the in-person talks. The subhead of each of the books is "Every wife has a story." And the stories I hear from other wives are often funnier than anything I've written in the books. I need to do more on-line marketing. That's on my fall To-Do list! One of my most successful promotions has been collaborating with retirement financial planners here on Cape Cod for presentations. One major financial company hired me as their dinner speaker for the major clients, and purchased a large supply of books to give out as premiums at the event, as well as to future clients. I've already been invited back to their dinner next year, to talk about the next book. I also sell a lot of books at dog shows. My books feature two English cocker spaniels, Lucy and Ethel, and I'm invited to shows all over the country to sell books. I have to be selective about where I go, as my travel budget is pretty limited. But dog shows are so much fun.

What ratio of ebooks have you sold to print books?

We are currently in our fourth printing for the first Baby Boomer mystery, Retirement Can Be Murder. The book was first released in traditional format in April 2009. The second book was just released on May 1. The first mystery went on Kindle at the end of January. The second one went on at the end of May. I was resistant to the whole e-book phenomenon at first. But we topped 10,000 e-book sales in 6 months, which is twice as many as the traditional sales. I never expected that. They are both selling like crazy, and one book is definitely helping the other book sales-wise. Many people are buying both.

Tell us about your series.

The Baby Boomer mysteries (there are 7 planned in the series) follow the lives of typical Boomers Carol Andrews and her husband, Jim, as they navigate the rocky road toward their twilight years. The first book dealt with Jim's impending retirement and Carol's reaction to it. The second, Moving Can Be Murder, deals with downsizing and selling the family home. The third one, which I'm currently working on, is called Marriage Can Be Murder, and will feature a destination wedding on Nantucket. Each of the books also has a quiz in the back, to give readers something to think about. The first one had a retirement quiz. The second one has a moving quiz. The idea of them is to start conversation with your partner to find out what's really important to both of you, to be sure you both want the same things. Communication, and compromise, are key.

What advice do you give to other writers contemplating independent publishing?

Publishing is in such a state of flux these days. Years ago, indie authors like myself werre really looked down on by the industry. But now, the stigma is no longer there. The trick is to write the very best book you can, and have a professional editor involved in the process. And be prepared to market the heck out of it. That's often harder than writing the book in the first place.

Thanks, Susan, for sharing your expertise.

You can visit Susan on Facebook and Twitter. Her e-mail address is in the back of her books and on all the promotioinal material. She answer every e-mail as fast as she can and says, "I get them from all over the country. Two weeks ago, I got one from India. I couldn't believe it."